Southern California Orchid Species Society

October

Species	Click on thumbnail to see larger photo. Use browser <Back> button to return	Notes	Contact for More Information (roberta@orchidcentral.net unless otherwise noted)

Cattleya bowringiana		Grows outside (coastal). This is the common pink form.
Cattleya bowringiana v. coerulea		A recent acquisition, it had been growing in a greenhouse, and so will be kept in one over the winter. In spring it will be moved outside, and once acclimated, it should be fine outside. The variety "coerulea" means "blue" but, as with most orchids, it's more of a blue-purple.
Ceratolstylis rubra		Grows in greenhouse. Does best mounted, since it rambles in multiple directions. Also, it likes humidity but needs to dry out between waterings.
Cleisocentron merrillanum		Grows outside (coastal), in open shade.It does well either in a fern pot or in a clay pot with moist but open mix. The color is truly blue, which is an unusual color in flowers generally and certainly in orchids. The color perhaps is best described as slate-blue or gray-blue.
Coelogyne fimbriata		Grows outside (coastal), in open shade, in an open basket.
Coelia macrostachya		Syn. Bothriochilus macrostachys. Grows outside (coastal), in bright shade. The inflorescence is quite spectacular even before the flowers open. Closeup of flowers.
Cymbidium finlaysonianum		This species wants to be a lot warmer than most Cymbidiums. It is OK outside in the spring and summer, but should at least spend the winter in the greenhouse. It does fine in the greenhouse all year. It also seems to want less light than most Cymbidiums. This one has light green leaves with bright shade. The hard leaves burn surprisingly easily. Flower closeup
Laelia millerii		Grows outside (coastal). It's one of the rupiculous Laelias. It is in a pot with loose mix, but should grow well mounted also.
Maxillaria bradei		Grows outside (coastal), in open shade, in an open basket. It is fragrant.
Maxillaria rufescens		Grows in greenhouse, in an open basket. Very strong vanilla-like fragrance.
Miltonia spectabilis v. moreliana		Grows outside (coastal). It prefers bright shade. When grown with too much light, the leaves and pseudobulbs become very yellow and plant does not grow as well.
Paphiopedilum gratrixianum		Grows outside (coastal), in shade.
Pleurothallis stricta		Grows outside (coastal), best in shade. It produces many keikis, which easily root, so that you have plants to share with your friends. Close-up of flower.
Prosthechea cochleata		Grows outside (coastal), in filtered sun. The inflorescence blooms successively, so it will stay in bloom for several months.
Scaphyglottis leucantha		Grows outside (coastal), in bright shade. It has 1/8" flowers on pseudobulbs that grow as keikis on other pseudobulbs. Close up of Scaphyglottis leucantha.
Sobralia macrantha		Grows outside (coastal), in nearly full sun (with the Cymbidiums). It likes to be on the moist side. This one will never get to a meeting, since it is about 4' tall, in a heavy clay pot (so that it doesn't tip over in a strong wind). The flowers only last about two days, but it blooms successively on the same growth, blooming on and off for about two months. Another plant, which bloomed in June.
Stenoglottis longifolia		Grows outside (coastal), in filtered sun. After it blooms in the fall (or in fact, while it is still in bloom) it loses its leaves. It does not seem to need to be dried out during its winter dormancy. In the spring, new "rosettes" of leaves appear.
Trichopilia fragrans		Grows outside (coastal), in bright shade. The inflorescence got attacked by a little green worm (caterpillar) so this was the only flower to survive, of three buds. It is, as the name implies, fragrant.
Trichopilia sp.		Grows in greenhouse. It was labeled "Trichopilia elegans" but there is no accepted species of that name.